


The Gift

by AdrianaDeSnart



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Character Death, Future Flash, M/M, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-30
Updated: 2018-03-30
Packaged: 2019-04-15 03:48:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,479
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14151267
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AdrianaDeSnart/pseuds/AdrianaDeSnart
Summary: Barry travels back in time to 2015 to ask for Leonard Snart's help. He is a little broken because of everything that has happened, but maybe it's just Leonard what his heart needs to find peace





	The Gift

**Author's Note:**

> English is not my native language, so please, if you notice any grammar or spelling mistakes, let me know :)

Barry found himself once more in front of the West House, after being there that morning. The only difference was that now he was in 2015, and a few hours ago he had been in 2025.

He didn't like to time travel, but he recognized the need to do it from time to time... And definitely it came in handy for situations like this one: Team Flash needed a power source that disappeared, or more accurately, was stolen around this date.

He was actually a little excited that he'd get to come back to this particular date, to this particular moment of his life. It was the night Leonard Snart broke into his house to warn him about the strange alliance between Jesse and Mardon.

Barry knew that at this point, Snart was probably looking for a mug in his kitchen, and he would end up choosing Barry's favorite one (something that he would never share with Cold ). He resisted the urge to go talk to him right now, because he needed to wait until everything between him and the older man happened the way it already had.

And that's the thing he completely hated about time travel. Not knowing what could screw the timeline, and what could keep things the same, or even make them better.

Barry didn't worry about being seen, because his face was half covered by a red hoddie. A few minutes later he watched himself and Iris enter their home and laughed a little, remembering the mini heart attack he got when he saw Snart sitting in Joe's chair. If it had been Joe who found him like that, he definitely would've shot him.

10 minutes later he watched Snart leave the house, and for the first time in all the time he knew the man he saw him... conflicted. Could he be considering helping Barry? Well, obviously Snart would decide against that hopeful thought that Barry had shared ten years ago.

But right now he really needed the man's help, and couldn't take a 'no' for an answer.

So Barry followed Cold for at least 15 streets, although he knew that Snart noticed his presence almost immediately.

Finally, when they were both alone in the middle of an alley (of course, this was Snart's attempt of a tramp), Leonard turned around and looked at him, in a way he hadn't in so many years. Because in Barry's future, Snart was already dead. Only half a year later he would sacrifice himself to save Mick and the rest of the Legends, something that surprised everyone, except Barry.

"You know, you'll have to be a bit more subtle if you want to follow me" Leonard said, examining him trying to figure out who was behind the red hoodie 

"Well, what if I wanted to get your attention?" Said Barry as a reply, carefully choosing his words so that he wouldn't start rambling. And he didn't want to banter with the man right now either, not after getting so many feelings about meeting him again after what seemed like an eternity.

"In that case, you already have it" And just like that, Snart approached him, definitely getting a good look to his face, judging by the surprised expression he had.

"I don't have time to explain, but I need your help" Snart chuckled and finally looked away from Barry, surprise erased from his face. Barry should've expected that, but in a way, Snart's reaction hurt him.

"Like I told you before, I'm not really interested on being a hero" And a familiar expression appeared on Leonard's face. The one he used every time Barry suggested he was a good man.

"This isn't about Mardon, it's about... Something bigger" Barry said, remembering that for Snart, The Flash already asked for his help not even half an hour ago. He needed to explain so that Snart couldn't refuse. And although the last thing Barry needed was Snart knowing everything that happened in the future, the man was dead in his present, so maybe this wouldn't be too much of a trouble? 

Making a decision, one that he hoped not to regret, he mentioned time travel and his reason to return to this time.

"Back when I'm from, another evil speedster that wants to destroy me is building a machine that could potentially destroy half the multiverse..."

"When you're from?" Leonard interrupted him, and Barry knew we should've started with the whole time travel stuff

"I'm Barry Allen, but I'm not exactly the one you know... I come from 2025, and I traveled back to this year because it's the only way I can save my family..."

"If you don't start making sense right now I'm gonna step into that bar and pretend like this conversation never happened" Snart said, interrupting Barry, with a slight hint of interest on his face.

"Look, just ignore when and where I'm from... What's important is that I need to build a machine that will prevent the end of the world, but the use of a strong power source that can only be found here is imperative... And if you don't help me steal that power source from Mercury Labs, then everything will be lost" When Barry finished talking, he was panting. He was afraid Snart would still say no, even knowing the consequences of not pulling this heist.

But Snart started smirking, in such a smug way that was so Snart-like. 

"So the Scarlet Speedster is finally offering himself to pull a heist? Now that's interesting" Snart kept the smirk on his face, and even when Barry knew he should despise that face, he was just glad he got to see it again. An entire minute passed, but for Barry it felt like an eternity. "Ok, fine, I'll help you... But with two conditions. First: My rules" And Barry nodded to that, he expected that. "And Second: I want something from the loot, my share of the job, if you prefer. Whatever we steal, you can keep, but I'll get something out of this too. Deal?" And Snart cocked his eyebrow, and Barry actually smiled. Because Snart was negotiating to turn things to his favor

"Deal, but you should know that if you betray me, I'll make sure you spent the rest of your days in the pipeline" Barry said, knowing that he couldn't do anything if Snart betrayed him, and his thread was probably not believable at all. 

"Whatever you say, Scarlet" Snart answered discovering Barry's bluff. "Now, tell me, what exactly are we stealing and where is it located?"

***

Snart and Barry agreed to meet the next day, at 13:00. That would give Snart time to prepare a warehouse for the job, one that he could get rid of after the heist.

So Barry, a little nervous, ran to the address that Leonard texted him to the burning phone he bought right after getting to 2015. 

Without the Flash's suit he still ran freely, no fear of burning his clothes present anymore. All thanks to an invention of Cisco, a special fabric that, much like his superhero suit, could handle the friction of running at the speed of light. And Barry was always going to be grateful for this gift from his best (male) friend.

When he was in front of a metal door with an electronic key door, Barry started thinking just how much money Snart dedicated to each job. His criminal operations were sophisticated but Barry never really wonder just how much.

And feeling the Speedforce in his veins, a tell that he was indeed terribly anxious, he knocked the door and waited.

But the door didn't open, instead, he got a text from Snart. '080886'. It wasn't the most secret passcode but it must have done the trick.

Barry entered the cleanest criminal safe house he've ever seen, and he was a CSI, he'd seen a lot. But then again, this was Snart he was meeting, and he couldn't picture the man in a dirty warehouse planning a heist.

He walked in a spacious room, completely empty, until he turned left in a corridor and finally saw the thief he was looking for. Snart was in the middle of the room Barry just walked in, standing in front of a wooden table that had several blue prints scattered carefully. 

"Hi" Barry said, a little awkwardly. It was all because Cold didn't even look at him when he arrived. He just continued working. A few seconds later he finally 'humm'ed Barry acknowledging his presence.

"So... Am... What are you working on? I mean, I know you're working on how to retrieve the power source, I was just wondering in which part of the planning were you on... And if you don't wanna tell me, it's ok, I get it. But I'm gonna have to know... Eventually"

"You always ramble like that when you're not bantering? And remember, we're not 'retrieving' anything, we're stealing it"

"Well... This is barely my second heist... And the first one ended up with your father dead so you'll understand why I'm a little nervous" Barry spoke without processing the words before they left his mouth, and he realized his mistake when Snart started looking at him with a terrifying look "But that was years ago... For me, for you it's something really fresh and I... Probably shouldn't have mentioned it"

"Probably?"

"I mean, definitely... shouldn't have mentioned it"

"And are you worried I'll get all murdery? You think I'll kill someone if I'm given the chance?" Snart's voice was soft, and could've fooled Barry into believing there wasn't any danger. But his eyes were ice cold. He showed no evidence of a soul in that moment.

"Honestly, I don't know... But I trust you, not because I have to... But because I know what kind of man you really are" 'The man you'll become' Barry thought, but didn't say.

It almost looked like Snart would've preferred Barry telling him he expected him to loose control, that his trust, just like in Ferris Air, was a product of his despair. Because that statement Barry made about giving his trust to Snart thanks to the content of his character took him off guard. And made him a little annoyed for the constant insistence that Barry put into convincing him he was a good man. He couldn't let his sister die and he killed his father out of revenge. Did that make him a good man? Snart didn't think so.

Barry kept his gaze in Snart, and the other man returned the action. The seconds passed and none of them moved, talked or even reacted.

"This is awkward" Barry said, breaking the moment, and when Snart moved his face to avoid him, Barry regretted not being able to keep his mouth shut. He broke a moment with Snart.

And why was Barry thinking about 'moments' with Cold? He was married to Iris in the future, no matter how weak that was lately. And it was probably going to end when he returned to his time. 

But it was still wrong, because Barry would be using Snart as a way to forget Iris. And that wasn't fair. For either of them.

"C'mere, I'll tell you what I'm working on" Leonard said, standing across from Barry, like he was putting some distance between them. "The most secure location of this facility is here, so I'm guessing that's where your power source is"

"You're... Guessing?" Barry said, but after another scary look from Cold he let it go.

"We'll do this in the shift change, at 20:15, that should give us enough time to get in and out without getting caught by the police, but..."

"Not enough time to avoid 2015 me"

"Exactly, so, this has be old school. I've been relying to much on the cold gun lately, but this has to be discreet and we can't set off any alarms, now, remind me why can't you just use your speed to steal this thing?"

"Because I can't let this get tracked down to The Flash, the police would hunt me... 2015 me... And that would change the timeline, maybe even break it"

"So it's about the time traveling stuff I don't end up to understand?"

"I've been time traveling for 10 years and I still don't understand it"

***

So they both kept planning (more like Snart did all the planning and Barry was just asking things about the place and being unhelpful), and at 19:00 they left the warehouse to commit the crime.

"Are you sure you wanna do this tonight? 'Cause I can be here a long time and still go back to the moment I left" Barry said in the van they were in, Snart driving and he seated in the copilot seat. 

"I thought you trusted me" Responded Snart, a little amused by Barry's second thoughts. Leonard remembered feeling them on his very first heist, but now, all he felt was the thrill and excitement of the forbidden.

"I do, it's just that I always thought you took weeks to plan a job" Barry said as casually as he could, which really wasn't much.

"The thing is Barry, I've been planning a job on that building for at least 6 months, just that I never found anything worth stealing there"

"Until now" And Barry grinned, convinced that getting Snart to commit a heist was a proof of the good in him. And wasn't that a twisted thought?

Snart pulled the car over a block before the building of Mercury Labs, the place that held the famous power source. When Eobard Thawne kidnapped Tina McGee and forced her to build him a machine, she kept all the research and equipment Reverse Flash provided her with and used it all to advance the research in her lab. But when the power source was stolen, along with all the research, Tina couldn't reproduce the ambitious project. Restoring the timeline, since that technology wasn't supposed to exist until the next century.

And like that, Barry and Snart approached the building to commit their heist.

***

They were returning from a successful heist, back on the van they got there.

No alarms were tripped off and no 2015 Flash showed up. Although maybe that had something to do with the fact that The Flash was getting his ass kicked by The Trickster and Weather Wizard.

They reached the warehouse again and Barry started talking to get rid of the nervous energy he still felt. 

"I still don't understand why you stole all that tech, Snart" Barry said, referring to all the other things Leonard took from Mercury Labs.

"And I still don't understand why you compromised everything by taking the time to erase some research... What was that about?"

"Just a hunch" Because the heist Cisco told him about in the future, started to sound a lot like the one he just committed.

"And kid... We just pulled a heist together, you might as well call me Len" 

"And you should stop calling me kid. I'm 35 years old, you know" Barry said, not loosing the smile that took over his face ever since 'retrieving' the poder source.

"Sorry kid, but it's never been about the age that I call you that. It's your eyes" Cold — Len? — turned around, leaving Barry without a proper explanation.

"Mmm... You care to elaborate on that?" Barry said, not letting the other man drop the subject because of his curiosity.

"I'll tell you, but only because I don't want you to be upset over this specific nickname. You should know that when I see your eyes, I see innocence, naïveté and goodness. All things I lost when I stopped being a kid. So don't worry Scarlet, it's a compliment. That you can stay that good after all the bad in your history, that you can hold on to the kid inside of you like I never could" Leonard answered, not knowing where this need to come clean came from. Something about Barry's eyes always made him want to tell him the truth, even though sometimes he managed to resist that urge (Ferris Air, as an example, and even then he ended up confessing at the end of things).

"It's still weird... But not as much as Scarlet so I'm gonna let it pass"

"If you don't want people calling you 'Scarlet' you should stop using that skin tight red suit you run around with"

"So what? Is that your way of telling me you want to see me naked when I show up at your heists?" Barry laughed, finally delivering some responses to the man, but not quite bantering.

But Snart didn't respond, which was odd for the man, always being the one with the last words.

He just looked at Barry with intensity and want, a look that Barry always wish to receive from Iris (or anyone, really).

And in a second, all the job Barry did for ten years of denying feelings for this man, just disappeared. He always knew that what he felt for Len wasn't normal, not the typical hero/villain relationship. But after everything he've done Barry just couldn't accept how much the man meant for him. Unfortunately, 10 years were a long time, and served Barry to forgive everything Len did to him and his loved ones. 

The ironic thing was, when Leonard became someone Barry could admit he was in love with, it was the same time when he died. Going in a time traveling mission to save the world and sacrificing himself to save others made him the man Barry always saw he was, but it also meant that they weren't meant to be together.

Not in the way Barry and Iris were, with all the signals they saw being there: First, the article Gideon showed him (already published in Barry's time) signed by Iris West-Allen, and the marriage of their Earth 2 counterparts.

And Barry spent his whole life loving Iris, so those signals had been a sign of hope for him. Except that in this moment, with Snart's gaze fixed on him like that, it all just felt like a burden. 

And the truth he ran all the way to 2015 to avoid wasn't avoidable anymore. Eddie Thawne had come back, saved by the latest speedster determined to destroy The Flash (realistically, how many of those could exist?). And unlike Savitar, that tried to kill Iris, this new rival went for his marriage. Returning Iris's true love.

So Barry made a decision, having only this night with Snart. With Len, the man standing a few feet from him, that obviously wanted Barry just as much as he did.

Using his speed, he crashed his lips with Len's. And kissed him, deeply, intensely and sensually. 

And right there in the middle of the cold floor of that clean warehouse, Barry gave himself to Len, he gave the other man his heart and his body. And even though his heart was going to ache the rest of his life for this moment, his body was so sated that he couldn't bring himself to care about the future.

***  
"So... That happened" Barry said while lying next to Len. Eventually, he would have to dress up, 'cause the floor was very cold and there wasn't exactly a blanket nearby.

"Believe me, I'm more surprised about this that you are"

"Why's that?"

"Because, even when my fantasies included a certain Scarlet Speedster, I never expected to be part of his... Not after everything I've done"

And Barry needed to explain everything, he owned it to the naked man next to him. Hopefully, he wouldn't feel as used as Barry thought he had every right to be.

"Well, for starters I've had 10 years to forgive you... And I've had the same time denying that you were important to me, so after everything that's going on in my marriage I should've expected you to be the one who made forget all of that, at least for a few minutes" And Barry smiled to himself, feeling content. Wishing this moment never ended. But, he needed to go back to 2025 where his wife was reunited with her true love and Barry's own chance of true love was dead. 

"Marriage, huh? Something perverse, Barry, to have sex with someone else still using your wedding ring as a prize... Turns out there's some bad in you too" Len said, trying to make it sound like he didn't care Barry was married, but Barry saw something hurt in Len's eyes. He hurt Len.

"I might be married, but once I return to my time, I won't be anymore" Barry said, not being saddened by the fact. It was something that needed to happen in order for Iris to be happy.

"And what does that mean?" 'For us' Snart didn't say. And Barry couldn't read his mind.

"It means that everything between me and Iris has always been wrong. I never wanted to admit it, but she was never truly in love with me. She loved me, deeply, but it's not the same. And even when we fought so hard to be happy, I know that she's in love with someone else, always has. And I can't get in the middle of that, wouldn't be fair. And I know Iris won't leave me for him, she's capable of living with me just 'cause she promised to me when we got married... So that's why I'm leaving her, as soon as I return to my time"

Barry started crying, not because he was sad, but because he (thought he) would never be happy. It seemed like Life gave Barry things to trick him into believing that happiness was possible, only to take them away from him at some point. Even Len, right here, wasn't his. This was borrowed time that Barty got thanks to time travel, and that was it. It wouldn't last.

And with that thought in his mind, Barry got up from the floor and got dressed. Ten seconds ago we hoped Len suggested going for round two, but what was the point of it, anyway? 

"What's gotten into you?" Len asked, seeing the change in Barry's attitude.

"Nothing... I just realized I will never be loved" Barry answered with a soft smile, resigning to a life without love. But Len wasn't having any of that crap.

"What do you mean by that Barry? You are loved" And when Barry just gave him the most broken look he ever saw in him, Len continued to explain his point, starting by some stories of his own "You know, when Lisa was born and I held her in my arms for the first time a realized my life would never be the same. That little girl had my heart, and there was nothing I wouldn't do to protect her. That's how I knew it was love... And just when I though my heart couldn't afford to love anyone else, Mick entered my life. He was a bit trickier, but after several years of tagging along in bar fights or giving me space whenever I needed it, I knew that I loved Mick too, in the same way I loved Lisa" He looked at Barry, making sure the kid was looking at him too "So cut the crap about not having love in your life, because even when your hoping for 'romantic' love, I'm pretty sure there's nothing Detective West, Dr. Snow, Cisco and even Iris wouldn't do for you"

"But what if that's not enough?" Barry asked, hoping Len would have all the answers.

"Well, I can't exactly promise you the love you expect will come... You just need to have a little faith"

It was kind of weird that Captain Cold was giving The Flash a talk about faith, and not the other way around. But even when it didn't calm Barry nearly enough for him to stop being broken, it did make him expect for the best.

"And other thing... When you return to your time, look for me. I may be a little eager to see you again, after watching you get married and all that" Len said, promises left unsaid. That Snart expected them to explore more about this new side of their relationship. And Barry did too, it just wasn't possible.

Barry kissed Len one last time. And what torn Barry apart was that the kiss was full of promise. 

When Barry moved away from the kiss he wasn't crying, but he wanted to. 

"Good luck, kid" Leonard said, and Barry nodded. It was time to return to his home.

He took the power source from the van they parked just outside the warehouse, and then he ran, as fast as he could.

He closed his eyes, feeling that time travel had finally given him a gift. And not the usual disasters that tend to happen. 

When he opened his eyes, his was back at the Cortex of STAR Labs, everyone gathered there just like they were when he left.

"Barr, what happened? What haven't you left?" Iris asked, thinking Barry was taking his time to leave, apparently

"Actually, I'm already back" Barry said, showing everyone the power source. He and his friends would save the multiverse, like they always did.

***  
Three weeks had passed ever since Barry returned from 2015. He was staying in a hotel while he found a place for himself. 

Just as he predicted it, Iris didn't immediately accept the divorce, even when she wanted to. But with Eddie and Joe's help, he convinced her to go be happy next to the man she was in love with.

And while Barry was still a little broken, his friends (his family, really) made sure that he felt loved, and a little less broken at a time. And Barry still hoped that Leonard would show in his door saying everything was ready for them to try to be happy together.

But that never happened.

Instead, Barry started visiting Snart's grave. When the Legends finished their mission across time, they put empty graves of every fallen member of their team, including Leonard. 

And Barry could spent hours talking to the cold tombstone, because just like it happened with his parents grave, he thought somewhere Leonard was listening, probably making some snarky remark about his stories.

Barry found true love, in his friends, his family and the person he never let himself love until it was too late. And when he finally stopped being blind at that fact, he gave himself permission to be happy. Because, at the end the only thing standing between him and happiness was his own mind, his own guilt and regret.

Barry Allen was happy. And Leonard, wherever he was, could see that.

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fic in AO3 so please don't be so hard on me.
> 
> In this fic, Barry and Leonard always felt 'something' for each other, but Barry never acted on those feelings because Len is a "bad guy"
> 
> But as time passes and Len finally accepts his good side, and becomes someone Barry can truly let himself be with, it's just to late... Leonard sacrifices himself and everything between them dies with him.
> 
> That's why in this story it might seem a bit weird or rushed how they get "together", but they always had feelings for each other that only in the fic they embrace.
> 
> Thank you for reading! I would like a little feedback if I decide to write another story.


End file.
